afternoon, Conner drove through Holiday Oaks. He went by Audrey’s home and saw an old man going to the mailbox next to hers. He stopped and got out of his cruiser.
“Sir,” he said. The old man didn’t turn. He didn’t have his hearing aid in and never heard the car pulling up behind him. “Sir.”
As Conner drew near, the old man sensed his presence and turned. He jumped.
“Dear Lord, you scared me.”
“Sorry about that. I just wanted to ask you something about the lady who lives in that home.”
Conner pointed to Audrey’s home.
“Did that girl tell you what I told her?” the old man asked.
“No, but she did file a report. When was the last time you saw Audrey Glenn?”
“Months ago. She used to get her mail. She went to the pool, too.”
Conner took out his notebook. “What’s your name?”
“Why do you need my name?”
“I just like to keep notes of who I talk to.”
“Richard. Richard Norman. But people here call me Dick.”
Conner wrote it down. He also noted the man’s mailbox number – 300. “Anything else you remember?”
“Just that I don’t like that kid living there.”
“Has he threatened you?”
“No. Why would he do that?” Dick’s eyes were wide.
“No reason. I just thought since you said you didn’t like him living there.”
“Well, I don’t. He doesn’t belong here.” Dick came closer to Conner. “I think he did something to her.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“No. It’s just a feeling.”
“Did you ever see him touch her?”
“No. Nothing like that. I just don’t like him is all.”
“Has anyone else talked to you about Ms. Glenn?”
“Marge has. She lives over there.” Dick pointed to the home across the street where Mel had seen the woman sitting on the porch earlier that day. “She sits out there all day. If anyone would see something, she would.”
Conner wrote down her name. “Does she have a last name?”
“Winthrop.”
“Mr. Norman, if you notice anything else, give me a call.”
Conner handed Dick his card.
“Will do.”
Conner got back into the cruiser and took off as Dick looked over at Audrey’s home. He’d be happy to keep an eye on it and report what he saw to Deputy O’Keefe.
Chapter 5
Vera’s park was smaller than Audrey’s. It had a pool sitting in the middle and the homes were placed in a circular fashion around it. Mel followed the numbers on the mailboxes until she reached 108. Vera didn’t drive anymore, so her driveway was empty. Mel turned in and parked her car.
Before she went to the door at the side of the home, she took Deputy O’Keefe’s card out of her purse and dialed his number. The call went to voicemail. She left him a message that she was going to stay with one of her grandmother’s friends and wouldn’t be able to see him that evening. She felt disappointed. She wasn’t looking forward to an evening with Grace’s friend, but she was tired and could say she wanted to go to bed early if the conversation proved too, well, boring.
Vera lived in a single-wide. She had flower boxes hanging under the front windows and neatly trimmed bushes under them. Hanging flower plants were arrayed along the edge of the roof of her carport. As Mel got out of the car, she thought she smelled pot. Maybe an evening with Vera would be more interesting than she thought.
She took out her overnight bag and left her suitcase in the car. Vera must have seen her drive in for she appeared at the door.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hello,” Mel said.
Vera opened the screen door and held it open. “Come in, come in.”
Mel followed her through the kitchen. They walked into a small living room. A gray tabby cat sat on top of a recliner. He flicked his tail in greeting and went back to sleep.
“That’s Dale. I named him after my second husband. This home only has one bedroom, so I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the sofa.”
“No, not at all.” Especially when there’s a cat in the house.
Mel put
“Sir,” he said. The old man didn’t turn. He didn’t have his hearing aid in and never heard the car pulling up behind him. “Sir.”
As Conner drew near, the old man sensed his presence and turned. He jumped.
“Dear Lord, you scared me.”
“Sorry about that. I just wanted to ask you something about the lady who lives in that home.”
Conner pointed to Audrey’s home.
“Did that girl tell you what I told her?” the old man asked.
“No, but she did file a report. When was the last time you saw Audrey Glenn?”
“Months ago. She used to get her mail. She went to the pool, too.”
Conner took out his notebook. “What’s your name?”
“Why do you need my name?”
“I just like to keep notes of who I talk to.”
“Richard. Richard Norman. But people here call me Dick.”
Conner wrote it down. He also noted the man’s mailbox number – 300. “Anything else you remember?”
“Just that I don’t like that kid living there.”
“Has he threatened you?”
“No. Why would he do that?” Dick’s eyes were wide.
“No reason. I just thought since you said you didn’t like him living there.”
“Well, I don’t. He doesn’t belong here.” Dick came closer to Conner. “I think he did something to her.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“No. It’s just a feeling.”
“Did you ever see him touch her?”
“No. Nothing like that. I just don’t like him is all.”
“Has anyone else talked to you about Ms. Glenn?”
“Marge has. She lives over there.” Dick pointed to the home across the street where Mel had seen the woman sitting on the porch earlier that day. “She sits out there all day. If anyone would see something, she would.”
Conner wrote down her name. “Does she have a last name?”
“Winthrop.”
“Mr. Norman, if you notice anything else, give me a call.”
Conner handed Dick his card.
“Will do.”
Conner got back into the cruiser and took off as Dick looked over at Audrey’s home. He’d be happy to keep an eye on it and report what he saw to Deputy O’Keefe.
Chapter 5
Vera’s park was smaller than Audrey’s. It had a pool sitting in the middle and the homes were placed in a circular fashion around it. Mel followed the numbers on the mailboxes until she reached 108. Vera didn’t drive anymore, so her driveway was empty. Mel turned in and parked her car.
Before she went to the door at the side of the home, she took Deputy O’Keefe’s card out of her purse and dialed his number. The call went to voicemail. She left him a message that she was going to stay with one of her grandmother’s friends and wouldn’t be able to see him that evening. She felt disappointed. She wasn’t looking forward to an evening with Grace’s friend, but she was tired and could say she wanted to go to bed early if the conversation proved too, well, boring.
Vera lived in a single-wide. She had flower boxes hanging under the front windows and neatly trimmed bushes under them. Hanging flower plants were arrayed along the edge of the roof of her carport. As Mel got out of the car, she thought she smelled pot. Maybe an evening with Vera would be more interesting than she thought.
She took out her overnight bag and left her suitcase in the car. Vera must have seen her drive in for she appeared at the door.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hello,” Mel said.
Vera opened the screen door and held it open. “Come in, come in.”
Mel followed her through the kitchen. They walked into a small living room. A gray tabby cat sat on top of a recliner. He flicked his tail in greeting and went back to sleep.
“That’s Dale. I named him after my second husband. This home only has one bedroom, so I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the sofa.”
“No, not at all.” Especially when there’s a cat in the house.
Mel put
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